yes i take peptides · shopping companion

Copper Tripeptide-1

GHK-Cu (cosmetic INCI)

Category · For SkinStatus · OTCCitations · 60

The verdict

Yes — as a small, stable additive in a topical routine that already does the heavy lifting (sunscreen, retinoid).

By source — cost, legality, risk

Brand (cosmetic OTC) — The Ordinary, NIOD, Skinceuticals, La Mer
$15–$400 per bottle
OTC cosmetic · regulated as a cosmetic, not a drug
Lowest. Cosmetic-grade; ALL topical RCT evidence is for this lane. Concentrations vary widely and are frequently undisclosed.
Compounded 503A pharmacy
Not applicable for topical use
Not the relevant lane — see GHK-Cu for injectable compounding
For injectable use, see the GHK-Cu cost table.
RUO research peptide
$30–$120 per multi-month supply
Sold 'for research only'
Highest. DIY-serum formulation is hard — wrong vehicle and the molecule degrades. The cosmetic-finished products are usually the better value.
Gray-market raw
$2–$6/mo at injection-equivalent volumes (rarely used topically)
Unregulated overseas import
Same upstream molecule as GHK-Cu gray; DIY topical formulation almost never makes economic sense vs $15 The Ordinary.

Stop signals · abort if

visible contact dermatitis (erythema, scaling, persistent itch)
blue-green skin discoloration that doesn't wash off (over-application or formulation issue)
allergic reaction (hives, lip swelling
extremely rare)

Sources · top 5 of 60

01Dou Y, et al. The potential of GHK as an anti-aging peptide. Aging pathobiology and therapeutics. 2020;2(1):58-61. PMID: 35083444.
02Pickart L, et al. Regenerative and Protective Actions of the GHK-Cu Peptide in the Light of the New Gene Data. International journal of molecular sciences. 2018;19(7). PMID: 29986520.
03Deng M, et al. Glycyl-l-histidyl-l-lysine-Cu(2+) rescues cigarette smoking-induced skeletal muscle dysfunction via a sirtuin 1-dependent pathway. Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle. 2023;14(3):1365-1380. PMID: 36905132.
04Bian Y, et al. The glycyl-l-histidyl-l-lysine-Cu(2+) tripeptide complex attenuates lung inflammation and fibrosis in silicosis by targeting peroxiredoxin 6. Redox biology. 2024;75:103237. PMID: 38879894.
05Mortazavi SM, et al. Topically applied GHK as an anti-wrinkle peptide: Advantages, problems and prospective. BioImpacts : BI. 2024;15:30071. PMID: 39963574.